


promise me something

by raven_bird



Series: Christmas Challenge 2015 [21]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake Morgana/Merlin, Fake Relationship, Family Party, Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 08:32:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5490632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raven_bird/pseuds/raven_bird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Morgana arrived to the Pendragon family brunch with Merlin on her arm, Arthur nearly knocked over his drink.</p><p>Written for the prompt: Character A is pretending to be their friend’s lover for the sake of the friend’s family. Character B is said friend’s sibling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	promise me something

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this Christmas Prompt Challenge](http://alloftheprompts.tumblr.com/post/134349883493/25-days-christmas-romance-challenge). Though this one's not so Christmas-sy.

When Morgana arrived to the Pendragon family brunch with Merlin on her arm, Arthur nearly knocked over his drink. This was nothing, though, compared to his father’s reaction. Uther hadn’t noticed the pair at first, but when he did, he turned an awful shade of purple and he dropped his fork, which hit his plate with a distinct clang.

 

Morgana paid no mind to the murmurs that they had elicited from the other guests. She took a seat next to Agravaine and gestured for Merlin to do the same.

 

From further down the table, Arthur caught Merlin’s eye and raised his eyebrows meaningfully, trying to convey all the bewilderment that he was trying to hide from his father. Obviously, Morgana had some kind of plan here, and he wasn’t about to ruin it for her. Merlin shook his head, subtly. Arthur sighed and sat back, resigned to having to wait.

 

“Morgana,” Uther said, greeting his daughter. Arthur noticed that he had managed to collect himself enough to look only mildly surprised. “You brought Merlin?”

 

Their friendship with Merlin had always been something that Uther hadn’t exactly encouraged. He had allowed it, sure, when Arthur and Morgana had started to invite him over more often. He had even been gracious enough to help Merlin get his career going, a kindness that was unusual for him. But he had never quite gotten over the fact that Merlin didn’t come from a wealthy or well-known family. Although he tried, Uther could never understand why Arthur and Morgana were so fond of him.

 

Arthur suspected, though, that this was going too far. Uther wouldn’t stand for Merlin’s presence at their family gathering. 

 

“Yes,” Morgana smiled, sweetly, but her eyes were cool, “I brought my  _ boyfriend _ .”

 

Almost simultaneously, everyone at the table glanced over at Uther to watch his reaction. Everyone, that is, but Arthur, who couldn’t seem to force himself to look away from his sister and his best friend, sitting so close to each other. He knew that his mouth had fallen half-open in shock, and clamped it shut quickly. Merlin was very carefully not looking at him.

 

Uther, apparently at a loss for words, only nodded. Morgana grabbed Merlin’s hand and made a show of interlacing their fingers and resting their hands between them on the table. Arthur bit the inside of his cheek, trying to figure out what was happening.

 

There was no way that Merlin would be dating his sister. He would have seen it coming. He had known Merlin long enough to tell when he was falling for someone. There should have at least been  _ some _ hint, right? Something to tip Arthur off. He hadn’t been expecting this, at all. He frowned at the pair of them, something building up in his chest.

 

He should be happy for them. Really, there could be nothing better. His sister and his best friend… together…

 

He couldn’t do it. It just wasn’t  _ right _ . The image of them together hung at the back of his mind even when Uther attempted to engage him in conversation about the latest development in their company. While Arthur was still half-focused on Merlin and Morgana, Uther seemed to be pointedly not mentioning them. Arthur tried to allow himself to be distracted, but it didn’t seem to be working.

 

Their annual Christmas brunch took place buffet-style, and Arthur was relieved when their party stood up to get their food. He attempted to maneuver himself towards Merlin, so that he could get  _ some _ explanation of exactly what was happening, but it was more difficult than it seemed. Family members kept approaching him to engage in small talk while they moved down the long tables of food, and the politeness that was so ingrained in Arthur didn’t allow him to turn away from the conversation. Before he knew it, Merlin and Morgana had finished collecting their food, and they disappeared back into the Pendragon room. 

 

Arthur was left as much in the dark as he had been before.

 

This continued over the next couple of hours. Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur could see Merlin and Morgana displaying disgustingly couple-ish acts of affection, complete with sharing food from each other’s plates. Arthur felt like retching.

 

Uther, too, wasn’t looking very happy with this arrangement. He kept shooting the two of them irritated looks, as though he couldn’t imagine anything worse than Merlin and Morgana dating. Arthur had to say -- he knew the feeling.

 

And fuck, that was it, wasn’t it? He couldn’t help but see that Merlin was entirely concentrated on Morgana, is if there were no one else in the room. And -- yes -- there it was again: the jealousy. Arthur had no choice but to admit it.

 

He didn’t want the two of them together. In fact, he didn’t want Merlin to be with anyone but him. He wanted Merlin’s eyes focused on him, not Morgana. He wanted to be the one sharing food and laughing with the dark-haired man, and being generally over affectionate.

 

In the midst of this revelation, Merlin had gotten up to get a new plate of food, leaving Morgana behind. Arthur didn’t notice this until Merlin was halfway out the room, and when he did notice, he stood up so suddenly that his chair scraped against the floor and half the table twisted to look curiously at him.

 

Muttering an apology, Arthur managed to find his way out of the room and follow Merlin without drawing any more attention to himself. He stepped into line next to Merlin.

 

Poking at the bacon, Arthur said, as casually as he could, “So. How long have you and Morgana been…”

 

“It’s… we’re not really…” Merlin’s voice sounded strangled, and Arthur looked up to see him shifting uncomfortably.

 

Arthur frowned.

 

“Okay. I need to tell you.” Merlin hushed his voice, leaning in closer. “We’re not together.”

 

“What?” Despite the wave of relief that had suddenly crashed over Arthur, it took a moment for the true meaning to hit. “You’re faking it?”

 

“She wanted to annoy Uther,” Merlin said, “And she thought this was the best way.”

 

“And you decided to just go along with it? Because she wanted you to?” That didn’t seem like Merlin at all.

 

Merlin shrugged, hiding a grin. “Well, I had a feeling it would be more than a little funny. Did you see your father’s face when we walked in?”

 

He had a point. Arthur rubbed his forehead. “Well, she’s done what she set out to do. But do you still have to be so affectionate? It’s… weird.”

 

“Oh, come on. You have to admit, it’s really working.”

 

“Merlin,” said Arthur, reaching out and grabbing his wrist. “I’m serious.”

 

Merlin’s dark blue eyes met his, and his eyebrows drew together. “What does it matter?”

 

“I…” Arthur coughed, looking away.

 

And then, understanding. Merlin’s expression shifted so suddenly that Arthur didn’t have time to quite process exactly what he was going through, and suddenly he was smiling, looking for all the world as if he had just witnessed a miracle himself.

 

“Alright,” he said, softly, “Alright. But you have to promise me something.”

 

Arthur nodded, a little mesmerized by the look on Merlin’s face.

 

“After this brunch is over,” Merlin said, very clearly, “You’re going to come over to my place, alright? Because I think that I do something that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time.”

  
The brunch passed much quickly after that, Merlin seeming less concerned with keeping up appearances. And, the moment people began to pack up, Arthur made his way out of the building as quickly as he could. He had a promise to keep, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll admit it. Not my favourite one that I've written. Anyways -- please leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed!
> 
> You can find me at [lavenderjehan](http://lavenderjehan.tumblr.com) on tumblr.


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